Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-02-05

ened on this occasion by his dread OF ridicule
II his efforts TO serve Isabel ended In failure |
--disinclined him TO take Lady Lydiard into |
his confidence while his inquiries were still |
beset with obstacles and doubts. He respect /
fully entreated her ladyship TO grant him a
delay of few weelu before he entered on
his explanation. Lady Lydiard's quick tenn
per resented this request She told Moody |
plainly that he was guilty of an act Of pre-
sumption in making his own conditions with !
his employer. He received the reproof with
exemplary resignation, but he held to his
conditions nevertheless. From that moment
the result of the interview was no longer in
doubt Moody was directed to send in his
accounts. The accounts having been ex-
amined, and found to be scrupulousy cor
rect no declined accepting the balance OF
salary that was offered to him. The next
day he left Lady Lydiard's service.
On the 10th Of the month her ladyship re-
ceived letter from her nephew.
The health of Felix had not improved. He
had made up his mind to go abroad again
towards the end of the month. In the mean
time no had written to his friend at Paris,
and he had the pleasure of forwarding an
answer. The letter inclosed announced that
the lost f500 note had been made the subject
Of careful inquiry in Paris. 1t had not been
traced The French police offered to send to
London one Of their best men, well ac-
quainted with the English language, If Lady
Lydiard was DESTROYS of employing him. He
would be perfectly willing to act with an
English officer in conducting the investiga-
tion should 1t be thought necessary Mr..
Troy, being consulted as to the expediency
of accepting this proposal. objected to the
pecuniary terms demanded as being extrava-
gantly high. He suggested waiting little
before any reply was sent to Paris; and he
engaged meanwhile to consult London So
licitor who had great experience in cases of
theft, and whose advice might enable them
to dispense entirely with the services of the
French police.
Being now a free man again, Moody was
able to follow his own inclinations in regard
to the instructions which he had received
from Old Sharon.
The course that had been recommended To
him was repellent to the self-respect and the
sense Of delicacy which were among the III
bred virtues Of Moody's character. He
shrank from forcing himself as friend on
Hardymans valet; he recoiled from the idea
of tempting the man to steal specimen OF
his masters handwriting After some con-
sideration he decided on applying to the
agent who collected the rents at Hardyman's
London chambers. Being an old acquaint-
ance Of Moody's, this person would certainly
not hesitate to communicate the address of
Hardyman's bankers If he knew it The ex.
pertinent tried under these favoring circum-
stances, proved perfectly successful. Moody
proceeded to Sharons lodgings the same day
with the address of the bankers in his pocket
book The old vagabond, greatly amused by
Moody's scruples, saw plainly enough that SO
long as he wrote the supposed letter from
Hardyman in the third person it mattered
little what handwriting was employed, seeing
that no signature would be necessary. The
letter was at once composed, on the model
which Sharon had already suggested to
Moody, and a respectable messenger $50 far
as outward appearance WENT was employed
to take it to the bank In half an hour the
answer came back 1t added one more to
the difficulties which beset tho inquiry after
the lost money. No such sum as $500 had
been paid, within the dates mentioned, to the
credit of Hardyman's account.
Old Sharon was not in tue least discom
posed by this fresh check give my love &c
che dear young lady" he s2id, with his Gus
lomary iml udence, land tel her we are one
degree nearer to finding the thief"
Moody looked at him, doubling whether
ne was in jest or in earnest.
, Must l squeeze little more information
into that thick head of oursp asked Sharon
With this question he produced a weekly
newspaper, and pointed to a paragraph
which reported among the items of sporting
aews Hardymans re cent visit to sale oil
, horses at town in the north of France
1--WE know he didn't pay the bank note in t.
: his account Sharon remarked What elst
did he do with It'll Took it to pay for thu
horses that he bought in France Do you SCI
your way little palmer nowl Very good
Let's try next if the money holds out Some
Lody must cross the channel in search of tn,
note Which of us two is to sit in the steam
boat with q white basin on his lapa Ole
? Sharon, of course" He stopped to count tn,
: money still left out Of the sum deposited by
Moody to defray the cost of tho inquiry
, "All right" he went on. "I've got enough
to pay my expenses there and back. DON
stir out of London till you hear from me.
/ can't tell how soon / may want you. /
, there's any difficulty in tracing the note you
hand will have to go into4your pocket again
Can't you get the law 20 join youi Lord
how should enjoy laundering ms money
:, IT'S downright disgrace to me to have only
got one guinea out of him. could tear my
| flesh OFF my bones when think of it."
/ The same night Old Sharon started TO
S France by way of Dover and Calais.
Two days elapsed and brought no new.
Q from Moodys agent On the third day h,
t received some information relating to Shar
= on-not from the man himself, but in a letter
o from Isabel Miller.
r "For once, dear Robert she wrote an,
y Judgment has turned out to be sounder thar
y yours That hateful old man has confirmed
o my worst opinion of him. Pray have hin
a punished Take him before magistrate anC
o charge him with cheating you out OF YOU
; money. | inclose the sealed letter which h,
g gave me at the farm house. The weeks tim,
y before l was to open it expired yesterday
s Was there ever anything so impudent and SC
inhuman! am too vexed and angry abou
, the money you have wasted on this ole
+ wretch to write more. Yours, gratefully
and affectionately, ISABEL"
v The letter in which Old Sharon had under
d taken (by way of pacifying Isabel to writ,
v the name Of the thief, contained these lines
$ "You are a charming girl, my dear; bu
|; you still want one thing to make you perfect
9 and that is a lesson in patience. l am prouC
IL and happy to teach YOU The name Of tn,
e thief remains for the present Mr. -